Read Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes With Southern Charm Hardcover – July 5, 2011 for Free Online Page A

cabbage, sliced into 4 wedges (keep them intact)
    ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
    Salt, to taste
    ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    Cook the bacon in a large deep skillet until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into small pieces.
    Stir ¼ cup of the broth into the bacon fat in the skillet. Bring to a simmer, scraping up the bacon bits in the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage and onion slices. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups broth, cover, and cook for 8 minutes to reduce the liquid. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the cabbage is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
    Transfer to a serving bowl and top with bacon pieces. Serve hot.
    Serves 4

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
    Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that people tend to love or hate. Many people are turned off by their bitterness, but the trick to making delicious sprouts is the cooking method you choose. I find that slowly roasting the sprouts with a little garlic and onion brings out their nutty sweetness and creates the perfect texture—crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.
    30 Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed and loose outer leaves discarded
    ½ onion, sliced
    ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook for 2 minutes to blanch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a sieve. Pat the Brussels sprouts dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel.
    Place the Brussels sprouts and onion slices in a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the garlic, salt, and pepper.
    Bake until lightly crispy, 30 to 35 minutes, turning halfway through.
    Serves 4

Creamed Collard Greens
    Because collard greens can be slightly bitter, many people shy away from cooking them. My method of preparing collards—blanching the leaves, cutting them into thin strips, and pureeing them with a rich cream sauce—transforms this underrated green into a MasterChef-worthy dish.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    ¼ cup diced yellow onion
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1½ cups heavy cream
    ½ teaspoon salt
    10 large collard green leaves, washed and ribs removed
    ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
    Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup of the cream and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream has reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt.
    Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the collard greens and cook for 2 minutes to blanch. Drain the leaves and pat dry with paper towels. Stack the leaves and roll into a cigar. Cut the cigar in half lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise into long strips.
    Add the greens to the cream sauce. Using a hand blender, blend or pulse greens until they are in small pieces. (Or transfer to a countertop blender, puree, and return creamed greens to the pan.) Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and remaining ½ cup cream. Stir until combined and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is heated through, about 10 minutes.
    Serves 4

Carrot Soufflé
    Having trouble getting your kids or family members to eat their vegetables? I know how you feel. My sister Brittyn will not eat carrots unless they are in the form of this carrot soufflé, or what I like to call “vegetable candy.” This sweet dish is a requested favorite for holidays at our house.
    2 teaspoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    2½ cups shredded carrots
    1 tablespoon